The Alaskan Rescue Read online

  “Hold on, Sashi. I’m coming,” he whispered to the wind.

  “Roger,” Joe answered. “Do you have coordinates?”

  As he heard the longitude and latitude repeated, Cole triangulated their location on the map. He was shocked to discover they were only a quarter mile away from the beacon’s signal. But before they got to the scene, he needed to talk to Trace. Cole was worried about what Joe might see. Even trained first responders had a hard time dealing with the horrors of tragedy.

  He walked over and motioned for his friend to hand him the radio.

  “Trace, this is Cole.”

  “Roger that, Stevens.”

  “Are the Powell brothers in the vicinity?”

  “We should be at rendezvous in five minutes. Luck had us mapping that square area of the land when the signal was called in.”

  “Good to hear. Over and Out.”

  Cole picked up his belongings and began to head out. “Let’s hurry, Joe. If Sashi and Kendra need medical help, I want to reach them as fast as I can.”

  “I’m with you, my friend.” Joe said.

  Chapter Four

  The sky turned cloudy and it looked as if it might start raining. Dusk was nearly upon them, making Cole nervous about bears, especially as he and Joe approached a dense hemlock forest. Both of them knew the consequences of scaring a bear or coming unaware upon a mother who was protecting her cubs.

  He bent down to reach a pocket near the calf of his waterproof hiking pants. He took a bell out of a little rag that held it still and tied it to his belt loop. He was grateful for his Native friend and his insistence on wearing one. He noticed that Joe had done the same thing, except his bell was bigger and hung off his backpack.

  Armed with loaded guns, they fought their way through the foliage and emerged into a clearing. Cole’s GPS device claimed they were close to the location of the rescue beacon.

  The rain forest was coming alive in a new way with owls hooting and vermin scurrying to and fro in the dense underbrush. Cole turned on the light of his helmet for extra help.

  Joe began to sing a song in Tlingit. Cole glanced at him and then down the hill at Jake, CJ and Trace. They were taping off an area for police work. That meant they’d found a dead body!

  Cole and Joe descended the hill, and Cole looked to the sky while his mind screamed, Please don’t let it be Sashi! He had to get a grip before he met Jake’s eyes. The pair had been in more scrapes and rescues than he could remember. They had a special way of reading each other’s body language, which allowed them to converse without speaking.

  All Cole had to do was motion to the perimeter. Jake understood immediately and he raised his right hand high then moved it horizontally. Now Cole knew it was the tall woman who was dead, not Sashi. He almost fell over from relief.

  He raised his forearms to shoulder height, then let his hands fall open in an outward motion. It was their way of asking how it happened.

  Jake spread his hands in the air like bear claws.

  “So a bear mauled Kendra,” Joe stated, obviously reading Jake’s gesture, too.

  Cole only nodded. Then he turned away and followed his GPS device until it led him right to a cave. It surprised him to realize he’d passed by this area before, yet had never noticed this cave. The opening was hidden by a large aspen tree that had a big splatter of blood on its trunk.

  “Joe? We have something.” Cole pointed to the first sign of human existence.

  “Captain Powell? We need your help. Do you hear me?”

  “Roger that, Cole. I’ll be there in a minute. Over and out.”

  As they drew closer, more blood was noticeable on the bottom of the cave. Joe stayed by Cole’s side, and Cole knew the man was keeping his eyes open for any clues one of the women might have left.

  Joe threw his pack down and began to call into the cave. “Sashi? Sashi? Are you there? It’s Joe!” The old man’s voice was filled with concern.

  “Stop.” Cole took a deep breath. With all his heart he prayed he wouldn’t find another mauled body. “Joe, I need you to hurry and unpack our gear. Wait for CJ. I’ll go in and survey the first ten feet or so. When he gets here, you two come in after me.”

  Joe nodded his head in agreement. He sensed why Cole didn’t want him to be the first to enter the cave. “I know you will bring her back. You are a great healer.” Their eyes met and a chill ran down Cole’s spine.

  “Be safe, my friend.” Cole grabbed Joe’s shoulder affectionately.

  “Sashi. Sashi Hansen. Can you hear me? It’s Cole, the doctor you met a couple of days ago. Dr. Cole Stevens. I’m here to help you.” Silence. As he walked into the dank tomblike space, the smell of wet earth filled his nostrils, while fear filled his heart. Was Sashi alive in here?

  Grabbing a flashlight out of his backpack, Cole scoured the cave for a clue. When he shone it on the earthen floor, he could see earth had been disturbed. Someone or something had crawled in here recently. That thought got his heart pounding. Her little body could’ve done that.

  The cave ceiling grew lower, forcing him to hunker down while he searched for human life.

  “Sashi? Sashi, can you hear me?” He got down on his knees, carefully scanning each side of the dirt crevasses. “It’s Cole. Dr. Cole Stevens. Are you there?” Finding strength from within, he kept his voice very calm.

  * * *

  SASHI AWOKE AT THE RUCKUS coming from the opening of the cave. Then a voice permeated her consciousness, making her think she was losing her mind. For how could Cole be here? She must be dreaming. Just then a light ran across the cave. Was this the light people said you walked toward when you were dying?

  It was beautiful, she thought. If only she could reach it. She lifted her arm, but she could only make it reach so far before the light fell from her grasp. Was death toying with her?

  “Sashi? Sashi, can you hear me?” She heard her name being called in the darkness. In an effort to move her head to the sound, she saw... How could it be? Cole was moving toward her, then seemed to float to the floor beside her.

  He grabbed her hands warmly. Tears filled her eyes. She must have done something right to have his beautiful gaze on her again. She was so happy to see him she never wanted him to let go of her. How did he find her?

  Cole wouldn’t stop talking. He kept saying a name over and over again desperately. She knew it was important to him so she listened intently, and finally her mind connected with the name.

  “Sashi,” Cole kept saying. He warmed her fingers and looked over her body to see her condition.

  She lay there basking in the joy that she’d been found. Cole made her feel so warm and safe. Sashi, she thought. I like that name. It’s very pretty. It sounds so familiar. I know a Sashi, she decided.

  She tried to grab Cole’s shirt, she was so happy to see him. But she was confused as to what was going on. More tears filled her eyes.

  At last she was able to speak. She pulled his hand closer to her body. “What’s happened, Cole? Are you a dream? Am I dead?”

  “No,” Cole replied, his voice calm. “You’re alive.”

  “Then why do you look like an angel?”

  * * *

  HER QUESTION SHOOK HIM to the core. It was at moments like these Cole had to reassure himself that he was the doctor, not the patient. “It’s the light on my hat.”

  “Then why is the light shimmering around your head?” Her voice sounded like sandpaper on wood.
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  “Sashi, the light helped me find you. It casts a glow around my head so I can see the wounds you’ve received. Do you remember me telling you I’m a search-and-rescue doctor who flies out to the bush to help people? Well, today I’ve been searching for you.” Cole touched her face with his fingertips, felt the moisture there.

  “Cole, I thought you were something I made up to take me to the other side.”

  Cole gently wiped the tears from her cheeks. “Not today, Sashi. I’m going to do all I can to keep you here. You still owe me a date.”

  A cough erupted from her beat-up body. Their eyes met and he could see the terror and shock in hers.

  He took off his pack and assembled the items he needed.

  * * *

  SASHI HEARD HIM SAY HE WAS grateful she was talking. He began to rattle on about how reviving patients in the bush was a bit trickier. She could tell he was now looking her over like a patient, which made her sad, yet she was still glad he was close. If she wasn’t going to die, she knew this man would take care of her.

  Cole’s voice made her feel more human, more alive, not one of the dead. She was so grateful for him. He seemed to know exactly what to say and do.

  While still holding her hand, he grabbed his stethoscope out of his bag with the other. He listened to her heart and lungs, then finally took her pulse. “It’s weak but stable.” He flashed her a smile that warmed her from the inside.

  “It’s a miracle you survived the night, Sashi. When you told me you were a ballerina who worked in the packing plant, I knew you had grit. But you have a mental ability many people don’t have. It’s hard not to give up in the cold Alaskan night and let fear drive you mad.” He caressed her cheek. “But you fought the fear and won.”

  “Thank you.” She tried to give him a smile. He examined the injury on the side of her head without hurting her. Reaching for the penlight on his utility belt, he said, “I have to make sure each pupil is the same size. Those green eyes are perfect, just like I remember.”

  “What?”

  “I’m saying you’re in better shape than I expected. My friend Joe Running Bear—”

  “There was a giant bear, Cole, and he...” She shuddered in remembered terror.

  “I know,” he said, “but the bear’s gone. You’re safe now, Sashi.”

  “Thank God,” she thought she heard him mutter. “Sashi,” he said, “I need you to keep hanging on and we’ll get you out of here soon.”

  “Do you know what happened to Kendra? She ran...I tried to stop her...” Sashi was genuinely worried.

  Cole held her hand, looked into her eyes and said calmly, “My friends, all dedicated civil servants, are taking care of the search for Kendra. Right now we need to take care of you.” The way he talked and cared for her was so warm and gentle.

  Sashi had to tell him about Kendra. “Cole...Kendra’s pregnant. They need to find her.”

  Just then she saw Joe quietly entering the cave. “Joe,” she said, “any news of Kendra yet?”

  Sashi found she could only talk as long as Cole held her hand. He seemed to give her strength, she didn’t know why or how.

  Joe said, “Sashi, my lone wolf, you are safe and I feel blessed. Believe me when I say Kendra has been found and everything will be okay. You listen to Dr. Cole. He will take care of you.”

  * * *

  ONCE JOE HAD CALMED Sashi with his words, Cole whispered to her, “I need to talk to a paramedic just outside the cave.” He still hadn’t let go of her hand. “I’ll be back in two minutes tops and then we’ll devise a plan to get you out of here. Joe will be by your side the whole time.”

  “Promise me you’ll be right back?” she begged.

  He looked down at the woman he thought had disappeared from his life and squeezed her hand. “I promise. I just need to get the right equipment to move you, okay?”

  “Okay,” she murmured.

  The look of trust on her face brought back feelings he’d tried to hide, and as he began to slip out of the cave, he struggled against his personal demons. He knew firsthand the trauma she was living through. He’d lived it many nights in his own nightmares. Hard to believe it was twenty years ago that he’d held his dead brother on the mountain after the avalanche, begging him to come back to life. But it wasn’t to be. At least today he didn’t have to beg God to bring Sashi back.

  He had to focus. Right now the only thing important was to get her stable before transporting her. The truth about Kendra could send her into shock. He didn’t want anything upsetting her. That was when he changed his mind about leaving her.

  He turned back. “Joe?” he said.

  “Yeah?”

  “Will you please go get Ranger Powell for me? I don’t want to leave my patient.”

  “I’ll go now.” Joe took off in the darkness.

  Cole took a deep breath and leaned over so he could get a closer look at Sashi. Her face was covered with mud and blood. But even that wasn’t enough to hide her classic beauty.

  Don’t lose your focus, Stevens. He had to make sure she was hemodynamic for transportation to a hospital. Amazing she’d survived the night. How many times had they found people who hadn’t survived? He didn’t envy Trace making the call to Kendra’s family.

  “New York?” he said to her. “You must lie still so I can examine you thoroughly. All right?”

  Her breathing evened out, and she nodded.

  Cole felt her neck and began to examine it for spinal cord damage. He couldn’t find any. Just in case, he put her neck in a brace to keep it immovable. Later she’d be given an MRI scan and looked over by a radiology team.

  Sashi reached for his hand and held on. The strength in those slender fingers surprised the hell out of him.

  “Sashi, you’re safe,” he said.

  “I know. You’re here now. It’s going to be okay.”

  Cole felt a huge mantle of responsibility as she said those words. He’d always taken his job as a doctor seriously, but in that moment he felt accountable for Sashi. He’d never felt like that before.

  He radioed the rescue operation. “Stevens here. I’ve found Sashi Hansen alive and talking.”

  “Captain Hunter here. Do you need backup?”

  “I’ve sent out Joe Running Bear to bring in backup.” There were audible cheers in the background over the two-way radio. “I need Captain Powell to provide assistance.”

  He looked at Sashi as he explained the noise over the two-way. “Can you hear that? Everyone is so excited you’ve been found.”

  She looked at him and nodded her head. “I just want to leave the cave.” She rewarded him with a smile.

  “That’s what I want, too.” He gave her a wink.

  “I’m on my way, Cole. Over and out.” CJ clicked off.

  “I need you to tell me where you hurt the most.” He began looking in her ears, mouth, nose and then he pressed on her stomach to check for internal bleeding. She seemed okay.

  “Where do you hurt, Sashi?”

  Cole examined her left arm, removing the makeshift bandage and looking at the gash. He used his stethoscope to make sure there was still a pulse in the hand. “Can you move your fingers for me?” She wiggled them. She would carry a scar on that arm the rest of her life, but the wound would heal.

  “How can I assist?” CJ was in the cave ready to help. Joe was with him.

  Relief flooded Cole. CJ Powell had just relocated to Alaska to be a fire ranger and was a newly
retired captain from the San Francisco Fire Department. He still kept up on his paramedic skills to aid in search-and-rescue operations. It was just the kind of help Cole needed to get Sashi out of here alive and in good form.

  “Sashi, this is one of my best friends, CJ. He’s a great paramedic, and you can trust him completely.”

  “Hello” was all she said.

  “CJ, why don’t you get over here and help me out with this prima ballerina.”

  Sashi looked at him seriously. “What if I can never dance again?”

  “Sashi, look at me.” She did so. “Never stop believing in miracles. You are alive, miracle number one.”

  “How many miracles are we allowed in this life?”

  CJ jumped in. “A lot.”

  “Isn’t that greedy?

  “No,” Cole said. “I’m a doctor. I see miracles every day.”

  “Miracles surround us,” Joe chimed in. “Just look around. You’ll see miracles everywhere. I never stop believing and never should you.”

  “I’m going to ask you again where you hurt.” Cole was more assertive this time.

  “My right lower leg,” she whispered. “I think it’s broken.” She was agitated as she looked into Cole’s eyes. He saw a flash of determination. He liked that. Despite her condition, she still had spunk.

  In one movement they lifted her petite form onto the stretcher. “You didn’t survive out here by giving up, Sashi. Don’t give up on me now.”

  While they put blankets on her, Cole told CJ to bandage the injured arm tightly and prepare it for the trip.

  “CJ is going to get an IV going. We’ll get meds to help with the pain, but I can’t do anything until I’ve seen all your wounds.” Cole had never had a rescue mission where he’d already fallen for his patient. He needed to keep his head clear.

  “I’ve got to look at your leg now. Breathe slowly. One...two...three... All right, let’s get a look at that leg. I’m starting at your thigh. Any pain?”

  Sashi held on to the sides of the carrier she was on, eyes closed and breathing. “No.”